When a fire broke out in the kitchen of their North Philadelphia apartment in April 2025, 8-year-old Saylon acted quickly, leading his father Anthony Crawley and twin sister Saylor to evacuate.

“He saved me,” Saylor said, hugging her brother.

For Anthony, a single parent raising two neurodivergent second graders, the aftermath was overwhelming, and he wasn’t sure where to turn. That’s when Disaster Action Team volunteers from the American Red Cross arrived.

“The Red Cross came out and gave us direction because we didn’t know what to do,” he said.

That guidance led the trio to the Red Cross House – a one-of-a-kind disaster recovery center in West Philadelphia where families can stay following a disaster. Here, families get a private room and key with a bathroom and three meals per day while they develop a recovery plan with a Red Cross caseworker.

Anthony said the Red Cross House provided a clean and quiet place while he figured out their next steps.

“The Red Cross helped a lot – with shelter, with funds and with clothing,” he said. “They helped tremendously for the situation I was in.”

In a few weeks, Anthony was able to secure a new place for the family to live. When it came time to leave, he said Saylon and Saylor “didn’t want to go.” Saylor said she especially liked the outdoor playground, while Saylon’s favorite thing was the food.

The twins and their father had the opportunity to revisit the Red Cross House last week for the annual children’s holiday party on December 17th, 2025. All families who stayed at the Red Cross House over the past year were invited back for the celebration.

“Tonight is an opportunity for our volunteers and case workers to join up with the families that we have interacted with over the past year and celebrate the spirit of the season,” said Jennifer Graham, CEO, American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region. “It’s our chance to see them on the next stop of their journey and celebrate how far they’ve come.”

At the holiday party, families like Anthony’s enjoyed a kid-friendly meal – hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries and mac & cheese, cookie decorating, photos with Santa, Mrs. Claus and Red Cross mascot Fred Cross and a visit from the Philadelphia Fire Department complete with a real firetruck. The children received gifts thanks to the generosity of Red Cross volunteers, staff and community partners, like Lincoln Financial.

“It’s amazing,” said Meghan Wright, executive director of Lincoln Financial Foundation, as she and her colleagues watched Santa and volunteers distribute hundreds of wrapped gifts.

Like Anthony, Amie Wright and her children Shontell (13) and Massanic (9) also returned for the party. They stayed at the Red Cross House for 21 days after losing their home in an electrical fire in February 2025.

That day, Amie’s husband was on his way out to run errands with the kids when a passerby pointed out smoke rising from their roof. The fire started at a bedroom outlet, where Amie had been asleep moments earlier. Thankfully, everyone escaped safely.

When disaster volunteers came out and talked to them about the Red Cross House, Amie was hesitant at first, not wanting to stay in a shelter. But when the family arrived, she knew they made the right decision.

“The food, the hospitality, the people – everyone was so welcoming,” she said.

Being at the Red Cross House allowed Amie’s family to keep life moving. She drove the kids to school every morning, then used the quiet space and high-speed internet to work on her own college classes.

She said everything was convenient, and the financial assistance helped her family start their recovery.

“Just thank you, I thank the Red Cross so much for everything,” she said.

Between July 2024 and June 2025, the Red Cross House provided 175 families – 321 adults and 153 children – with disaster recovery services, including 3,204 overnight stays and 9,612 meals.

Learn more about how the Red Cross House helps families rebuild after a disaster by visiting our website.

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- Written by Alana Mauger